Psalm 23: The Lord Is My Shepherd — Part III
Try and Imagine a world without want? Or more amazingly, a world without wanting? The second idea is far harder to imagine.
The expression, “without want,” or more commonly expressed, “without wanting,” generally signifies a person whose basic survival needs are met (*Think of the first level on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: food, water, shelter, etc.). Obviously, our world is still in want for the heart-wrenching basic needs of so many people, but this is not the type of “want” primarily addressed in the psalm. The “want” (Hebrew = “chesar”) in psalm 23, although it can imply meeting basic needs; the statement is actually intended to affirm for us that our deepest wants are already been satisfied in our good “shepherd.”
Last week I asserted the reference to God as a shepherd, from an ancient Middle Eastern perspective, was also to be understood metaphorically as proclaiming God as King. When we think of God as both our shepherd and king, hopefully we can begin to appreciate how truly satisfying faith in God is:
As Shepherd: The 23rd psalm takes us on a journey of a shepherd with his sheep. Through the lyric, the shepherd leads his flock from location to location until at last they reach a place of permanence in the, “house of the Lord.” When considering nomadic shepherding, we understand sheep begin each day from a place of scarcity. No verdant paradise overflowing with grasslands and rippling streams. Rather, each morning a shepherd gathers the flock and leads them through the wilderness in search of the promised “green pastures” and the “still waters.” The psalm assumes, each day the sheep begin with nothing, but in faith they trust themselves completely to their shepherd in providing their basic needs. The sheep instinctively know their shepherd is dependable, so there is no needless worry. Sadly, we are not sheep and our lives are a little more complex. We don’t just need a shepherd, but a king too.
As King: Wether we like it or not, life is political. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing to know our elected officials always had our best interests in mind whenever they make decisions and set policy? Just think, even today, of all the difficult decisions our leaders must make during this pandemic. Do we open up the economy, and risk more life? Or, do we protect human life, but potentially hurt people’s pocketbooks and mental health? Do we give away excessive financial help to help people through this time, but create a greater burden of debt for the future? Or do we make people struggle financially for a short time, and hopefully protect them from a later national debt crisis? These are important questions and clearly not simple, and I am sure we all have our own opinions on what is best. Politics by nature is tricky business, every decision will make some happy and others upset. However, when we see God as our king, our perfect ruler, this psalm reassures us there is no need to want it any other way. Even if we do not always understand and appreciate all the paths God may lead us on, we can have satisfaction knowing it is always for the benefit of his sheep, and his paths are always the “right paths.”
These four words, “I shall not want,” are quite possibly the most stunning given in this timeless song. They are staggering because they honestly represent the truest heart cry a soul could conceive. To find oneself in a place of having all their wantings filled and satisfied. Satisfied not by the transient stuff and temporary emotions we all possess and experience, but by the security of trusting and holding firmly to the hand of our good shepherd and king.
Digging Deeper: Read Psalm 131 & Matthew 6:25–34
